I can hear the snarkiness bubbling right now at Pitchfork as we speak, but really, the promoters of this festival aren’t really helping themselves here.
The lineup for the 2nd Annual Hippiefest (yes, HIPPIEFEST…sigh) was announced, which has stops in Wichita and near DC at Wolftrap in Virginia. There are actually few classic groups here — The Turtles, The Zombies, Mountain, Iron Butterfly, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger, Country Joe McDonald — but I cannot imagine any of these groups really being anything beyond a squeeze for a little late career cash flow.
Reminds me of a good Crosstalk AV Club had recently about whether or not Reunion Tours were a good thing. Check that here.
But jeez, the name for said festival is so poorly conceived. No wonder people hate hippies… the image of the Sixties has been completely Disney-fied into lame complacency.
…this brings up some questions…
What happened to the Detroit Wheels? Did they all die from too much “flower power,” or was it the gaudiness of this poster? When was Mitch Ryder ever considered a hippie? (BTW, their version of Little Latin Lupe Lu is way better than the Righteous Brothers’.)
Also, what happens if we can’t bring our parents, grandparents, AND our kids? Weird.
Terrible for sure. I guess people are suckers for cheap, bland nostagia…
Flower Power Concerts, Inc? I find stuff like this really depressing- kind of like the beatles cover band “Liverpool” in KC. They seriously dress up in the Sgt. Peppers costumes and play shows for middle aged white people. John Lennon is rolling in his grave.
What is sadder? Being in one of those bands…or trying to relive your youth attending one of those shows? I sort of feel bad for the legacy of bands like the Turtles and the Zombies…has it really come to this…their 20 year old selves would cringe if they knew their 60 year old selves would be as safe as maple syrup…and half as relevant.
What is up with the “The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie” and “the Zombies featuring Colin Blunestone and Rod Argent”? Is this a way of saying only a few of the members are involved while the rest are either dead or not interested?
Yeah, I guess you have to remind the fans of who is still around and that its not just another Turtles/Zombies trubute band.
Can you guys imagine when we are 60 going to a “Indie Rock Fest” with bands like “Interpol featuring, guy with holster playing bass still” or ” Clap your Hands Say Yeah! Still with only one decent album!” or even “Radiohead, now with electronic kiosk that exactly simulates Thom Yorke!!” .. Oh how we’ll relive our college years..
Wasn’t Interpol basically doing that same thing but as a poorly executed Joy Division tribute band?
Case in point see all these instances of bands imitating Gang of Four, Jesus & Mary Chain, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Mission of Burma? And haven’t all these bands essentially all come back recently (okay well Morrissey came back, not the Smiths) because they figure with all the imitators out there, they might as well jump on and get some cash pay out too?